Pop Goes the Bible

I won’t lie, what appeals to me most about Mark DeMaio’s latest gallery, Pop Goes the Bible is not only the humor in his work, but the 1-2 punch that hits both Christianity and media tyrants such as Disney (who aren’t too far from religion themselves).

The easiest way to build empathy to your cause or idea is through humor, think of any good date you’ve been on, unless you’re some kind of number crunching robot, chances are making your date laugh was what worked the best. DeMaio does just that, (not the dating part, I’ll have to ask around to know how he fares there) as his iconoclastic works satirize famous Biblical scenes making them seem all the more absurd. Figures like Popeye and Poopdeck Pappy replacing Adam and God (respectively) in mock of Michelangelo’s most famous work or Mario (of Nintendo fame) beating his brother to death in The Caning of Able are two of my favorites. Beyond what’s invoked, DeMaio’s mastery of the two dimensional style of early Disney, Warner Brothers, and Hanna Barbera cartoon characters against biblical backgrounds invokes comparisons in style to early religious Renaissance art.

Inflammatory, sure, but relatable and well developed; Pop Goes the Bible is a fun poke at both Christianity and mainstream popular culture.